Community Food Programs

Vancouver Coastal Health Food Assets Map

VCH Public Health Dietitians working in Vancouver have partnered with Vancouver Neighbourhood Food Networks, UBC students and instructors, the City of Vancouver, the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and Fresh Roots to create the Vancouver Food Asset Map.

The Food Asset Map highlights food assets located in Vancouver. Food assets are places where people can grow, prepare, share, buy, receive or learn about food. This is a community map that will be continually updated with the help of UBC students and community members.

Since the soft launch at the end of September 2016, there have been almost 2,800 views. The map includes almost 800 food assets and over 300 schools and community organizations. Over 200 community members have provided feedback to help improve the map. Evaluation results show that 64% did not know how to find food assets in their community before using the map, 86% found it easy to use, and 78% said they would use it in the future

The Food Asset Map can help to answer questions including:

Where is the nearest food bank?

Where can I find low cost or free meals and what times are they offered?

Where is the closest retail store and what types of food do they offer?

Grandview Woodland Food Connection

1) Food Fit: Is a 12-week program for low-income community members who experience barriers around healthy eating and physical activity but who are motivated to make lasting changes to their health. The program combines fun, hands-on cooking sessions and food-based activities with take-home recipes, easy-to-understand nutrition information, group exercise, shared meals, self-directed individual and group goal-setting, and reflection and feedback loops that monitor and reinforce individual and group progress.

2) Bulk Food Buy: The Britannia Bulk Buying Group purchases fresh produce at wholesale prices saving you about 40% on your food bill. Food is bought once a month and brought to Britannia Community Centre to sort and pick up. Cost is $14 for about 14 varieties of food. That is two bags of food.

EASTSIDE FAMILY PLACE

1) Food Cupboard: “take what you need, give what you can” Non-perishable food items donated by ESFP participants, to share with others in need of food. ESFP participants have unlimited access to the food cupboard during the drop-in.2) Parents in the Kitchen: Each month, a parent-volunteer cooks a simple meal to share with all the families during snack time.3) Kids in the Kitchen: Chef Larissa Grieves facilitates a cooking session with pre-school aged children during the afternoon drop-in session.4) Substantial, healthy snacks for participants and their children Snacks: Every day at 10:30.5) Breads and Spreads: Throughout the drop-in, breads and spreads (jam, butter, Wow Butter, etc), dry cereals, plus coffee, tea and milk are available in the kitchen.6) Little Sprouts Summer Garden Program: from June-Aug. Children and their parent/caregiver go down to the Britannia School garden and learn all about growing their own vegetables and herbs. Then, in the afternoon, they return to Family Place and prepare the food their harvested that day. (example Kale Chips!)

For more information on any of these, contact ESFP at 604-255-9841

FOOD FOR FAMILIES

Food for Families is a local food bank situated in the East side of Vancouver and is a resource for people who live in the surrounding area and meet the criteria our program requires. In order for someone to become an active participant in our program the following criteria is needed to be met:

1) They are local to the east side of Vancouver
2) The have children *in their dependent care, who are under the age of 18 years old
3) They are low income

Provided all of the criteria above is met, what is then needed for the family signing up is to register with our program!
The requirements to register are:

1) Government issued id’s for everyone who will be under the guardians file (i.e. a single mother with 2 children will need to bring id with birthdates for herself and her two children). Acceptable id we recognize are: care cards, passports or birth certificates- this is to verify the ages of everyone who will be on file in our program
2) $5.00- this is a onetime registration fee paid by the registrant that goes toward to making of the families membership card

SALVATION ARMY VANCOUVER COMMUNITY AND FAMILY SERVICES

The Salvation Army offers a variety of services and programs throughout the province of British Columbia for members of the communities that we serve. These activities are motivated by a belief that each individual possesses an inherent worth and dignity. It is the goal of The Salvation Army to restore dignity and hope in the lives of those we serve through these programs as they experience times of need.

1) Community Drop-In Breakfast Mondays and Fridays from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
2) Women In Touch – Thursday at 10:30-Noon : ladies join together for fun, spiritual growth, games, and crafts. *Lunch is provided.
3) Emergency Food Assistance – available to families with children under 19; once every 3 months; max 3 times a year. By appointment only.
4) Growing Your Own Food Bank Garden Club– Live a healthy lifestyle by learning to garden! Weekly meetings include workshops led my local experts and hands-on experience at our community garden. Call for registration details.
5) Sally Ann’s Healthy Eating Kitchen – Learn cooking skills, nutritional information, budgeting tips, food safety standards, and meal planning in a fun and warm environment. Call for registration details!
6) Thanksgiving Turkey Distribution – Each fall we partner with local organizations to provide frozen turkeys to families of 3 or more children (under 19) for Thanksgiving. Quantities are limited, call to register.
7) Christmas Assistance – with the help of the community, we are able to provide presents and dinner to families with children under 19 each Christmas. Christmas kits and meal may be available to individuals. Call for registration details.